By Adedapo Adesanya
Some persons suspected to be involved in the business of illicit drugs have been apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in different parts of Nigeria.
A statement issued by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said the agency arrested the suspects in the past week with over 16,000 kilograms (16 tons) of narcotics.
In Lagos, anti-narcotics officers who have been on the trail of a 48-year-old, Mr Aro Aderinde, for weeks and arrested him on Sunday, October 16, over alleged involvement in the export of 3,149kgs cannabis Sativa (C/S) concealed in coconut fibres via container number MSKU 1820587.
Similarly, two women: Ms Hauwawu Bashiru and Mrs Basirat Adebisi Yahaya, linked to the attempt to export 90 kilograms of methamphetamine through Pastor Anietie Okon Effiong of Promise of Zion Church, Oron, Akwa Ibom state, were equally arrested in Lagos and moved to Uyo to face charges along with the clergyman.
The NDLEA spokesman stated that Pastor Effiong was earlier arrested on Saturday, August 6.
Meanwhile, an alleged drug dealer in the Mushin-Isolo axis of Lagos, Mr Monday Michael, 45, was also arrested on Monday, October 17, with 365.7kgs of cannabis in two Toyota Sienna space buses marked FST 189 FD and FST 273 GF.
Another person, Mr Abdulkadir Mohammed, 47, wanted over the seizure of 5,640kgs cannabis at a warehouse in the Chukuku area of Kuje, Abuja, was nabbed on Sunday, October 16, following the arrest of his wife, Mrs Saadatu Abdullahi, 35, who was found at the store when it was raided.
In Edo, at least 10 suspects were arrested concerning the seizure of 4,870.2kgs of cannabis in parts of the state. On Wednesday, October 19, operatives stormed Ohusu forest boundary, Ovia southwest local government area, where they recovered a total of 3,159.7kgs and arrested three suspects: Mr Effiong Udo; Mr Daniel Asuquo Ebong and Mr Asuquo Effiong.
Similarly, on Saturday, October 22, operatives intercepted a Toyota Sienna space bus conveying 49 bags of C/S weighing 638.5kgs along Uwenusi road in Uhunmonde LGA, while 36kgs of the same substance stored in the bush along Uromi/Ubiaja road were equally recovered. In another operation, three suspects: Mr John Paul, Mr Liberty Rolland, and Mr Aboki Stephen, were arrested at Okpe in Akoko Edo with 55kgs of cannabis.
No less than 127kgs of C/S were seized, and a suspect, Mr Pius Okon John arrested, while 854kgs of the same substance were recovered when operatives raided Okpe forest, where some cannabis farms were destroyed. Three suspects: Mr David Obada, Mr Blessing Okechukwu and Mr Odoh Sunday, caught with the 854kgs C/S were arrested.
In a similar vein, NDLEA operatives in Ondo state stormed the Aponmu forest in Idanre LGA, where 52 bags of C/S that weighed 676kgs and the truck being used to load the consignment were recovered on Sunday 16th October, while the trio of Mr Christopher Amuzoga, Mr Chikogu Samuel and Miss Ijeoma Okenna were arrested with 690kgs of cannabis at Ipele forest on Tuesday, October 18.
In Kano, operatives arrested Mr Isah Suleman Mohammed and Miss Sandra Okafor in Dakata area on Friday, October 21, after they were caught with 538 blocks of C/S weighing 391.2kgs; 259,000 tablets of tramadol; 100 bottles of Codeine based syrup, and 150,000 tablets of pregabalin.
This followed the arrest of Mr Abel John and Miss Helen James with 328.7kgs C/S at Gonin Gora area of Kaduna, while 5,000 tablets of tramadol and 25,000 tablets of Exol-5 were recovered along Abuja-Kaduna express road. In the same vein, a suspect, Mr Yahaya Musa, was arrested on Sunday, October 16, at Tashar Yari, Kaduna, with over 30,000 tablets of tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5.
Meanwhile, in Bauchi, a suspect, Mr Ogbonna Ikechukwu, was arrested at Gadar Maiwa, Ningi LGA, with 67, 960 tablets of various types of psychotropic substances, while in Akwa Ibom state, operatives raided the Marina market, Eket, where quantities of illicit substances along with One million one hundred and ninety-three thousand and sixty Naira (N1,193,000.060) cash and Eight hundred and forty-nine thousand (N849,000.00) fake currency were recovered from fleeing suspects.
